Rice presses move towards two state solution 
| Rice presses move towards two state solution | |
| Israel |
| Written by Chris Perver |
| Wednesday, 19 September 2007 05:21 |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in the Middle East for a two day visit aimed at bridging differences between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The United States had been criticized by Arab leaders for proposing to hold an international peace conference while not being seen to be making any efforts themselves to find a solution to the Middle East conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has tried to dampen expectations of a final agreement with the Palestinians in November, while Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has demanded a specific timetable paving the way for the establishment of a Palestinian state. Yesterday the IDF submitted a plan to the Israeli government detailing the dismantling of dozens of security roadblocks across Judea and Samaria. Olmert has been under pressure from the US and World Bank to ease restrictions on Arabs living in Judea and Samaria, ensuring "Palestine" has a viable economy. He is also seeking to put a difference between Palestinians who accept peace with Israel, and those in Gaza who reject Israel's right to exist. But the IDF did not even recommend implementing their own plan, due to the continuing threat from suicide bombers. And now Condoleezza Rice has called on both sides to start moving towards a two state solution. Quote: ""We can't simply continue to say we want a two-state solution, we have got to start to move towards one," Rice told reporters before a refuelling stop in Shannon. "This international meeting is also going to be doing exactly that. This is not a matter just to declare that we all want to see a two-state solution," she added. Rice, who will be in the Middle East for little more than 24 hours, wants to convince the Israelis and Palestinians to narrow their differences on the core issues that divide them - borders, Jerusalem, refugees and security. US sources have stated that the US Secretary of State may present her own disengagement plan to the Israelis and Palestinians. The US had drafted a timetabled peace plan in May of this year, which was rejected by Prime Minister Olmert over concerns that Israel would have to take major security risks, which may not be reciprocated by the Palestinian terrorist organizations. It will be interesting to see what comes of this November peace summit. For it seems Olmert is painting Israel into a corner, pushing for peace with Palestinian terrorist organizations that openly preach the destruction of the Jewish state. Palestinian terrorist organization Islamic Jihad, which has claimed responsibility for every suicide attack within the last three years, has been broadcasting radio programmes from the Temple Mount, calling for the destruction of Israel. Quote: "The last few days the special broadcasts, sampled by WND, have been preceded and followed by Islamic Jihad speeches featuring anti-Israel propaganda, such as calling for the destruction of the Jewish state and advocating Palestinian solidarity with Iran. It was unclear whether Islamic Jihad had official permission from Israel or from the Waqf Islamic custodians of the Temple Mount to broadcast from the holy site, located in Jerusalem and jointly administered by the Waqf and Israeli police. It is clear to see that Olmert's disengagement from Judea and Samaria will not satisfy the Palestinian terrorist organizations. To the Arabs, Israel's disengagement from the Jewish heartland is a sign of weakness, and that the favour of Allah is on the Islamic nations. With a retreat from Judea and Samaria, Palestinian terrorist organizations will smell blood in the water. And as the Scriptures state, this "piece process" will lead directly to the time of Jacob's trouble. Jeremiah 30:15-18 |
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